JHEASA Conference held at Mangalore

On : 2023-02-23

St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangaluru hosted the Jesuits in Higher Education in South Asia (JHEASA) conference on January 26-28. ‘National Education Policy 2020 and Jesuit Higher Education: Challenges we face and opportunities we have’ was the conference's theme. A total of 87 delegates, including all the Jesuit Conference of South Asia's higher education principals or their representatives, were present.

Fr Joe Arun SJ, the JHEASA secretary, led the dispositional prayer on the evening of July 26 and welcomed the delegates from all higher education institutions of the Conference. Fr Melwin Pinto SJ, Rector of St Aloysius Institution, celebrated the inaugural Mass. Fr Stanislaus D' Souza SJ, Provincial of South Asia (POSA) welcomed everyone to the meeting and urged Jesuits in higher education to use the NEP to develop their institutions for the welfare of the socially and economically disadvantaged without sacrificing academic brilliance or character development.

Dr Valson Thampu, former principal of St Stephen's College, Delhi, delivered the keynote address. He challenged the delegates to take the initiative and act appropriately by interpreting the signs of the times while upholding biblical principles and Jesus' prophetic message of love that transcends all boundaries. “We must make the most of higher education as a potent weapon for empowering the socially and economically disadvantaged,” he said.

The 14-point NEP strategies were the subject of spiritual dialogue in groups on the first day of the Conference, and the groups presented their findings in the plenary session. Zone collaboration and networking were emphasised, and an action plan for the conference's four zones was proposed. A cultural programme of various folk forms of the State was presented to the delegates in the evening of the first day.

Fr Joye James, former JHEASA secretary, gave a presentation on the JHEASA Conference Apostolic Plan on the second day of the conference. The exchange of best practises across JHEASA institutions helped in the approaches to managing resources like energy, waste, water, and biodiversity, among other things. The Arabian Sea's marine splendour was experienced by interested delegates who visited NITK Suratkal beach in the afternoon.

Under the direction of Fr Dominic Savio SJ and his team, the upcoming JHEASA conference is scheduled to take place at St Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata.

- Melwyn D'Cunha SJ